EVERY JOB MATTERS – DEFENDING JOBS ON LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/5)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/175/16, 22^nd June 2016), members will recall the NEC decision to organise a Stations & Revenue Reps to discuss industrial action following the implementation of the “Fit for the Future” programme which is having a detrimental effect of members working lives with serious implications for their work-life balance. The arrangements for this meeting have now been finalised and are as follows:-

Meeting of all LUL Stations and Revenue Grades Representatives

10:00 hours on Wednesday 27^th July 2016

Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6AQ

There is no agreement for release and Reps are therefore asked to make your own arrangements to attend for these important discussions.

LONDON TRANSPORT RETIRED MEMBERS BRANCH

Following recent discussions, the RMT London Transport Retired Members’ Branch has been re-launched. Brother Olly New is the Branch Secretary and can be contacted at olivernew@btopenworld.com . It was agreed that the Branch would initially meet once every two months, if possible on the first Tuesday. Arrangements have now been made for the first two meetings to take place in Committee Room 1, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD as follows:-

• 14:00 hours on Tuesday 6^th September 2016
• 14:00 hours on Tuesday 1^st November 2016

All retired LT members are very welcome and encouraged to attend.

NIGHT RUNNING – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/15/4)

The following resolution was recently received from our Finsbury Park Branch:-

“Finsbury Park Branch resolves to request an immediate ballot for strike action and action short of strike action of all our Victoria Line Train Operator members to resist the imposition of new duty rosters in connection with the start of night tube on 19^th August.

These rosters are not acceptable to our members on the basis they have an adverse effect on their work/life balance and the usual protocols of consulting our local representatives have not been followed”.

A report was also received from the Lead Officer advising that further meetings are due to take place with the Company over the Victoria Line rosters but that as a precaution against imposition, members should be balloted in line with the above resolution.

The National Executive Committee took the decision to raise this matter for discussion at the Reps meeting on 27^th July and also, due to the tight timeframes involved, to conduct a ballot of our Train Operator and Instructor Operator members on the Victoria Line for industrial action against the imposition of unacceptable rosters.

I am currently acting in accordance with the above decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.

PAY PARITY, TRANSPLANT ENGINEERS TRAIN DRIVERS – TUBE LINES (LUL/10/2)

The following resolution was recently received from our LU Fleet Branch:-

“Management at Transplant have awarded some drivers in our unit a 6.3% pay increase outside of the Tube Lines collective pay deal for agreeing a roster that Engineers Train Drivers already work.

Engineers Train Drivers are asking for parity.

This Branch calls upon the NEC to ballot all RMT Transplant Engineers Train Drivers and Assistants after failure to resolve this issue with management”.

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to ballot RMT Transplant Engineer Train Drivers and Assistants for industrial action. I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

NEW CRIMINAL/LICENSING APPLICATION FORM L3

In order to assist Branch Secretaries and to streamline the process for applications for licensing and criminal assistance in work related matters we have now produced an L3 form. This will replace the existing system for criminal/licensing requests.

The form will be available on the website at http://www.rmt.org.uk/about/legal-services/legal-forms/. I also attach a form for your convenience. Please advise members to complete and sign the form, and then provide it along with all documents to their Branch Secretary for approval and signing as soon as possible. Should the Branch wish to support the application, copies of the form and documents should then be sent/emailed by the Branch Secretary to the Legal Department for processing and assessment, who will then advise and consult the General Secretary for a decision on funding. Legal assistance remains discretionary and according to Rule.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said;

“The axing of nearly 350 trains a day by GTR is a crisis measure designed to rig their appalling performance figures. The fewer trains you run, the fewer will be delayed and the better your headline performance statistics will look. That is a fix of epic proportions and the public will not be fooled by this chicanery.

“The new timetable also means that the vast reduction in services, approved by the Government, will leave remaining trains dangerously overcrowded and it will be our members at the sharp end ‎left to manage the safety of the passengers while the Minister and her GTR colleagues are tucked away in their plush offices.

“It is outrageous for the minister to claim that front line Southern rail staff are not on the side of the passengers. Unlike Ms Perry, her officials and the GTR bosses it is our members out there at the sharp end this morning trying to deliver a service against a background of gross managerial incompetence and rank profiteering. The disgraceful slurs, abuse and lies being heaped on our members by the company and their cheerleaders in Government have to stop.

“It is shameful that supposedly impartial BBC outlets, including the flagship Today programme, have chosen to peddle the company line this morning about bogus unofficial action and sickness when the core problem is down to systemic mismanagement by GTR and a failure to recruit enough guards and drivers to fill rosters and diagrams.

“Despite the timetable fix this remains a franchise in terminal meltdown and RMT will continue to fight for safety-critical jobs, safe services and public ownership and control.”

RETIRED MEMBERS BENEFITS: F3 FORM

 The following resolution was carried at the National Retired Members Advisory Conference held on 21^st April 2016.

“Members of this branch regularly report at meetings that retired members of the RMT have not yet received Retirement Benefits, nor the benefits which follow, such as honorary membership.

 This is usually because they were not aware of the existence of these benefits.

 It will perhaps be argued that details of Members Benefits are available on the RMT website. This assumes a) that all members have access to the internet b) that after retirement members will continue to use the website. Neither of these assumptions is reliable enough to ensure that members receive their entitlement.

 We propose, therefore, that Branch Secretaries, as a mark of respect to retired members’ service to the RMT, be required to write formally to each member upon retirement thanking them for their support and enclosing a copy of the F3 form.

 To do this Branch Secretaries must be in regular receipt of joiners and leavers lists and liaise regularly with local representatives to establish which leavers are retiring.

 Upon receipt of F3 forms and granting of Honorary Membership, Head Office should send out Retirement Packs along with Retirement Benefit.”

In consideration the National Executive Committee adopted the following report:

 “That we note the resolution from our Retired Members Advisory Conference. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to write to all branches quoting the resolution and seek assistance from branch secretaries to ensure retired members receive the Form F3.”

In accordance with the resolution I would ask:

1. That Branch Secretaries liaise with local representatives to ensure that where known those members retiring are aware of RMT retirement benefits. These members should then be contacted by the relevant Branch Secretary and provided with Form F3.

2. Branch Secretaries should write to those members who appear on the leavers list as “Retired” and provided with Form F3.

3. That Head Office ensures that on receiving Form F3, and granting Honorary Membership, relevant members receive a retirement pack.

To assist you I have attached a copy of Form F3.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary

Retirement